The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-07-21

that number, but he added that II DAILY
was so anxious to show what he was
made of he could raise a party OF citi-
zens and come along himself.
DAILY accepted the challenge, and in
few hours had collected together and
armed some twenty citizens, mostly
miners, to accompany Lieutenant
Smiths command Daly's men were not
very well mounted, and mere mainly
armed with the old Winchester rifle,
/, which carries only about 800 yards.
The soldiers were armed with the regu-
lation Springfield carbine.
1t was not until the morning of the
10th at about o'clock, that the COM
mand left Lake Valley citizens and SOL
diery. We had information that the
Indians had camped at Borendo Springs,
and we hoped to come up with them be-
fore daylight. About nine miles out we
came upon the place where the Indians
had camped for the night and the trail
at once grew hot. Everything showed
that they had only just "struck" camp,
and as the "sign" was plenty we had no
trouble in "lifting it, almost at gallop.
1t led on to the mouth of the Gaballon
Canon on the west slope of the Mimbres
Mountains and about eight miles south
west of the ranch of a stockman named
Brockman. Very soon after we entered
the canon the advance guard of five men
fell back and reported Indians ahead
about half mile off. Lieut.. Smith or
dered the guard to move on short dis
tance in advance, but they were evident
ly getting demoralized in the face of the
enemy, and we had gone but little way
when they again halted and waited for
the main body to come up. The sergeant
in charge said that he wanted fankers to
support him and clearly did not regard
with pleasure the post of honor he occu-
pied. The lieutenant ordered him to
again advance about 400 yards but the
guard had not gone ten yards when fire
was opened on the party from both sides
of the canon The Indians were in am
bush all around us. Not single Apache
could be seen, but every cactus bush and
every boulder seemed to vomit forth fire.
Men dropped on every side before the
unseen enemy, At the first volley poor
Smith was shot through the lower part
of the body and fell from his horse.
''Help me on my horse." he cried to
the first sergeant The latter ran
to his assistance and placed him in his
saddle.
"Dismount, boys, and take to the
rocks for your lives!" was the next COM
mand.
1t was Immediately obeyed. Every
rock that man could get cover behind
was occupied as fast as the men could hurl
themselves from their saddles. Horses
and everything besides arms were
abandoned. As | clambcred behind the
shelter of huge boulder on the south
side of the canon where the fire seemed
weakest, glanced below and saw Lieu
tenant Smith and Daily, side by side,
make dash down the canon, as though
to fight their way through the bowling
Apaches, whose wild, triumphant cries
of "Hi Ki! You'll" now filled the air.
They had not gone twenty feet when
both fell from their saddles literally
riddled with bullets They both had
stood by the challenge made at Lake
Valley and had died as only brave men
can die. Two soldiers and one citizen
while making for cover were shot dead
in their tracks. Two citizens escaped
on horseback, and brought the news Of
the disaster to Lake Valley.
The Indians now had it all their own
way. Having secured the government
horses and ammunition and arms of those
killed, they made lively efforts to dis
lodge those living from the cover of the
rocks. The slightest exposure brought
a leaden messenger; yet we were COM
PEELED to expose ourselves in order that
the red devils did not steal upon us una
wares. / had lost my canteen and from
10 O'Clock in the morning until A in the
afternoon had to endure the most agon.
izing thirst under lurid and semi-trop.
ical sky, fate shared in common with
!, nearly all my companions. 1t was not
until after 4 o'clock that the Indians
: left, Just as endorsements could bt
seen in the far distance
The most horrible incident of the fight
was to be compelled to witness the mutt
lation of our dead comrades. The squaw!
! ! and children stripped thc>bodies naked
lighted fires upon their stomachs unit
the entrails were consumed, and other
wise mutilated them in the most fiendisl
manner. Lieutenant Smith wore beau
tiful blonde mustache. This, togethc
: with the upper lip, was cut off and huns
on cactus bush near where he fell
When his body was brought into For
Bayard neither his wife or two littl
: children could be permitted to look upoi
his dead face, and strong men were un
: able to gaze but moment upon tn
havoc wrought upon Gods temple.
Poor Smith, really believe, had
premonition of his death. The nigh
before the fatal morning he sang by tn
camp fire, we all joining in the chorus
o that old song of brave men facing in
e evitable death. How his magnifcen
IS voice rang out:
1t "Cut off from the land that bore US,
d Betrayed by the land we find,
!, With the brave men gone before us,